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Silver-fir (Abies alba MILL.) neighbors improve water relations of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), but do not affect N nutrition

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Water relations in the leaves of beech trees on sandstone-derived soil are supported by the presence of white fir neighbors.

Abstract

Climate extremes such as heat waves and prolonged periods of drought not only affect water relations of trees, but can also accelerate nitrogen (N) limitation under low soil N. To counteract these effects of climate change, it has been suggested to replace forest monocultures with mixed forest stands. In the present study, we tested, if water relations and N nutrition of shallow rooting and, hence, drought sensitive beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) could benefit from deep rooting and, hence, less drought sensitive silver-fir (Abies alba MILL.). Adult trees were analyzed on two forest sites stocking on different parent bedrock at different elevations. The sites differed in precipitation and total N contents in the soil, but revealed a similar soil water holding capacity. Surprisingly, analysis of root and leaf/needle bulk material revealed higher N contents in beech and fir tissues from the low compared to the high soil N site. Significant effects of silver-fir neighbors on N nutrition of beech were not observed. δ13C signatures of leaf/needle and root material served as indicators for water supply. In the leaves, but not in the roots of beech trees at the site with lower precipitation, δ13C signatures indicate improved water supply of beech in the presence of sufficient fir neighbors. Irrespective of this observation, water supply for both tree species appeared to be sufficient at both field sites despite low spring and early summer precipitation.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the help of Monika Eiblmeier, Dr. Bin Hu, Dr. Bagaou Du, PD Dr. Jürgen Kreuzwieser, Martin Fuchs, and Jannik Menz during sample collection. Data on tree composition of the forest stands were kindly provided by the forestry districts “Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald” and “Emmendingen”. In addition, we express our gratitude to Prof. Dr. Friederike Lang and Jaane Krüger for providing soil analysis data from the Conventwald site.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Forest Sciences, Chair of Tree Physiology, University of Freiburg, Georges-Koehler-Allee 53/54, 79110, Freiburg, Germany

    Ruth-Kristina Magh, Michel Grün, Viola Elisa Knothe, Tobias Stubenazy & Heinz Rennenberg

  2. College of Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Heinz Rennenberg

  3. Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kreuzeckbahnstrasse 19, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

    Javier Tejedor & Michael Dannenmann

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  1. Ruth-Kristina Magh
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Correspondence to Ruth-Kristina Magh.

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Financial support by the Federal Minister of Agriculture (BML) and the Federal Minister of Environment (BMU) via the Federal Institute of Agriculture and Nutrition (BLE) in the frame of the project “Buchen-Tannen-Mischwälder zur Anpassung von Wirtschaftswäldern an Extremereignisse des Klimawandels (BuTaKli)” within the program “Waldklimafonds” is gratefully acknowledged. The authors extend their sincere appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for funding this Prolific Research Group (PRG-1436-24).

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Magh, RK., Grün, M., Knothe, V.E. et al. Silver-fir (Abies alba MILL.) neighbors improve water relations of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), but do not affect N nutrition. Trees 32, 337–348 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-017-1557-z

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